Corks were popping on Marlborough Common yesterday when the 1st XV created history by winning the Regional 2 Tribute South Central of the Southwest Division league with four games to go and maintaining their 100% winning strike rate. It was just a shame that it was a game against a bottom-of-the-league team, but that’s rugby. The Buckingham players worked hard and made Marlborough defend hard in the first half. They were true sportsmen, and Marlborough wishes them well for the future.
The final score was Marlborough 79 – Buckingham 0.
The 2nd XV also had another win, beating Minety by 29 points to 5, which puts them back on top of the Counties 2 Tribute D&W North of the Southwest Division League with three points between them and second-place Chippenham II. This league is going to go down to the wire and is also very exciting for the club—can Marlborough really have two teams at the top of two different leagues and both get promotion? Only time will tell.
Neither team can take their feet off the pedals yet. Next week the 1st XV host Reading on the Common, but the 2nd XV has another free weekend. We will have to wait until March 4 to see the 2nd XV back out on a pitch when they are away to Wootton Bassett III.
This is a truly exciting time for the club and a season that will be remembered. There is lots of speculation about what awaits the 1st XV next season, but for the moment, they need to concentrate on winning their last four games, then the competitions at the end of the season. There is still much to be done, but there can still be some time for a little daydreaming of what the next season may look like.
Players in photo (left to right)
Back row:
Ollie Spanswick (capt), Weir Filikitonga, Ale Fifita, Aka Seruvatu, Jack Lynd, Loketi Manu, Adam Neale, Lemeki Moala, Arthur Allen, Callum Hunt, Richard West, Jamie Pittams, Will Reeve, Henry Webster, James Marshall
Front row:
Simon Pilkington, Ash Horner, James Clancy, Solomone Aniseko, Ben Fulton, Vili Hakalo
